Music-leaf turner.



J. NICHOLIS & S. LAZZURE.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION HLED MAY9,1916.

Patented Jan; 9,1917.

I NVENTO Rs glob/7 Niche/1's JOHN NICHOLIS AND SETTAMO LAZZURE, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Application filed May 9, 1916. Serial N 0. 96,292.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN NIGHOLIS and SETTAMO LAZZURE, subjects of the King of Italy, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of WVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for holding and turning leaves of music and its object is to provide a simple, efficient and conveniently operated device of this character that is adapted to quickly and easily turn the leaves of a book or folder of music in response to a slight pressure of the foot, the device being so constructed that it will not tear or deface the leaves in any way.

The invention consists in the novel construction, adaptation and combination of devices, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of a music-leaf turner embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the same with parts broken away; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on broken line 33 of Fig. 2; Fi 4 is a sectional view on broken line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a detail of one of the leaf-turning fingers; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating parts of the actuating mechanism in a different position from that shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 10 indicates a tubular standard which is supported by a post 11 extending upwardly from a base 12 that is adapted to rest upon the floor or upon any suitable support.

Upon the top of the standard 10 is provided a bracket 13 within which a ratchet Wheel 14 is journaled for rotation upon a pin 15. The ratchet wheel 14 is provided with the usual form of teeth each having inclined outer surfaces 16 that are adapted to be engaged by an opposed inclined surface 17 on an actuating plunger 18 that is disposed for vertical movement within the standard 10 and has a downwardly projecting shank 20 that extends through the end of the standard 10 and is articulated with a link 21 that is pivotally connected with the short arm of a foot-lever 22 which is fulcrumed on the base 12 in such a position that it may easily be engaged by the foot of the operator to move the plunger 18 upward, such plunger being moved downward by the force of a compression spring 19 that is interposed between the end of the tubular standard 10 and a fixed collar 23 on the shank 20.

The plunger 18 is connected by a fulcrumed lever arm 24 with the lower end of another plunger or locking arm 25 that moves vertically in a guide 26 on the outside of the standard 10 and has an inclined top surface 27 that engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 14 when the plunger 18 is withdrawn to complete each forward movement of such wheel, and to serve as a lock therefor.

28 is a music rack that is secured to the standard 10 at one side thereof and has a medial cross bar 29 provided with split rings 30 whereby leaves of music 31 may be secured thereto in a manner well-known in loose-leaf devices.

Extending lengthwise of the cross-bar 29 is a fixed rod or support 32 upon which are pivoted a plurality of casings 33 (see Fig. 5) each having a leaf-turning finger 34 and an interiorly disposed spiral spring 35, one end of which is secured to the casing 33 and the other end of which is secured to the rod 32 in such manner that the springs will turn the fingers from one side to the other of the rack 28 when the fingers are released.

When in initial position, the ends of the fingers 34 are adapted to be positioned within recesses 36 in an angle-bar or plate 37 that is secured to the standard 10 by brackets 38 and are held in the recesses 36 by a fingerholding bar 40 slidably disposed in a guide 41 on the bracket 13 and having teeth 42 that engage with the teeth on the ratchet wheel 14 in such manner that when the ratchet wheel is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow A the bar 40 is raised and is caused successively to release the fingers 34.

In operation, the leaves of music are placed on the rack 28 in engagement with the rings 30 and the fingers 34 are posltioned between successive leaves 31, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3; the fingers are then turned so that the springs 35 are brought under tension, and the outer ends of the fingers are positioned within the recesses 36; the bar 40 is then lowered to engage the fingers and the device is ready for use. /Vhen pressure is exerted on the foot lever 22, the plunger 18 is raised and the arm 25 is lowered from the position shown in Fig. 6, to the position shown in Fig. 1, the inclined surface 17 of the plunger engaging the inclined surface 16 of a ratchet tooth and moving the ratchet wheel in a contra-clockwise direction to raise the bar 40, sufficiently to release the lowermost finger 34 and permit the spring 35 to turn a leaf of music 81. When pressure on the lever 22 is released, the spring 19 moves the plunger 18 and arm 25 back into the position shown in Fig. 6, the inclined top end of the arm 25 engaging the inclined surface 16 of a ratchet tooth and completing the contra-clockwise movement of the ratchet wheel so that it will be in a correct position to be engaged by the plunger 18 on the next upward movement thereof, and the arm 25 then serving as a lock to prevent further forward movement of the ratchet wheel 14. The recesses 36 gradually increase in depth from the bottom to the top end of the bar 37 as shown in Fig. 1, thus giving suificient room for the successive leaves of music that are interposed between the fingers 34:. The fingers 3d are spaced' for moving said finger-holding bar to successively release said fingers, the said means including a rack bar and a double-detent controlled ratchet wheel engaging the rack bar.

2. A leaf turner comprising a standard, a rack secured thereto,'rings carried by said rack for securing music leaves thereto, spring actuated I leafturning fingers arranged in parallel horizontal planes, a support in the central portion of said rack for said fingers, a plate on said standard having recesses for the outer ends of said fingers, a bar for holding said fingers in engagement with said plate, a rack face formed on said bar, a double-detent controlled ratchet wheel in engagement with said bar for moving the same intermittently, to sue cessively release said fingers, and means for locking said bar-moving mechanism.

3. A leaf turner comprising a standard having a rack secured thereto, springactuated leaf-turning fingers, a pivotal support for said fingers on the central portion of said rack, a plate having recesses of increasing depth from bottom to top thereof for the reception of said fingers and to facilitate the superposing of the sheets, a finger-holding bar movable lengthwise of said plate, and means for moving said bar to successively release said fingers.

4. A music-leaf turner, comprising a standard having a rack secured thereto, a bracket on the top of said standard, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said bracket, a plunger for engaging said ratchet wheel to move said wheel, a locking arm connected with said plunger and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, means connected with a pedal for moving said plunger, means on said rack for holding leaves of music, spring-actuated leaf-turning fingers pivoted on said rack and arranged between successive leaves of music, a recessed plate for the reception of the outer ends of said leaf-turning fingers, and a toothed finger-holding bar slidably mounted in the bracket and engageable with said ratchet wheel and adapted to be moved lengthwise of said plate by the turning of said ratchet wheel successively to release said fingers.

5. A music-leaf turner, comprising a standard having a music rack secured thereto, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in said standard, a spring-pressed plunger for turning said ratchet wheel, means for moving said plunger, a locking arm connected with said plunger for simultaneous movement therewith in an opposite direction, spring-actuated leaf-turning fingers on said music rack, .a finger-holding bar having teeth engageable with said ratchet wheel, a guide for said bar, and a recessed plate for the reception of the ends of said fingers.

6. A leaf turner comprising a standard. a rack secured thereto, means for securing leaves of music to said rack, spring-actuated leaf-turning fingers, a medial support on said rack for said fingers, a plate on said standard having recesses for the reception of said fingers, a toothed finger-holding bar, a guide for said bar, abracket on the top of said standard, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in said bracket and engaging the teeth on said bar, a plunger adapted to engage with and move said ratchet wheel, a fulcrumed lever connected with said plunger, alocking arm connected with said lever and adapted to move simultaneously with Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 29th said plunger in an opposite direction, a day of April, 1916.

shank extending downwardly from said JOHN NICHOLIS. plunger, a spring on said shank to with- SETTAMO LAZZURE. draw said plunger, and a foot pedal con- Witnesses:

nected with said shank to move said plun- E. PETERSON,

ger upwardly. HORACE BARNES.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five eents each, by addreuing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D C. 

